With the security concerns about PHP that have hit the headlines in the last 48 hours, on top of regular noise levels, I am reviewing the receptionist and worker filters. Part of this is looking around to see how the various bits of code (web servers, and then after them Coffee Shop code) filters out noise.

The issue with PHP is not something newly added to the language - it's just that it's newly discovered in a relatively obscure corner. Now that it's been discovered and documented (that was necessary to define the fix), there is an almost-certainlty that some malware or maligned humans will look to exploit the hole for unfortunate purposes. So we are taking steps to minimise or eliminate the risk. The question in this poll is an important one to help educate us on further on the balances of the forum.

Over coming days, backroom research and other work will be ongoing. Members answers to this poll are a vital piece of that research and I ask you to vote even if you leave most of our polls alone.  If you are a regular guest/viewer this is a really good time to register - it's free - but if not please email me ( graham -at- sn12 -dot- net ) to help me build up the best possible picture.

There are - always - various automated processes ongoing, and manual ones from time to time too - which keep an eye out for rogue visitors and activities. Over coming days and beyond, these processes may well be tuned and reset rather more often than has been the case. Tightening gates may trip you up, and short outages / abnormal responses are more possible. As ever, if you have issues I remain reachable as the "webmaster" level via the forum or my personal email.

 
I'm going to help with a couple of sample answers ...

I have voted for two options - that
* I visit the Coffee Shop from the UK and
* I visit from outside the UK (currently in Spain)

My wife Lisa - who very occasionally reads as a guest - would vote
* I visit using a VPN
She has a virtual private network activated most of the time, primarily to allow her to access USA based content not available in the UK or Europe. I can also lean over and ask her to check how the forum looks for a guest from a different country if need be.

 

Probably it would look good, while perhaps with a Florida accent. 

 

It does look good - lets me see what is seen by overseas guests - and also to check blocks from a very limited number of distant countries that typically have "travel advisories" on them anyway.

"Lean over and ask" is not an option right now - middle of night and six hours on a metre gauge train rockin and rolling has left her sleeping well beside me.

 
Most of my internet traffic goes through Cloudflare WARP on desktop and Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 on Android. These are network tunnelling programs. I'm on FTTC, a fair way from the cabinet, with my internet speed topping out at 38Mbps. Cloudflare noticebly speeds up my webpage loading times. It also better handles web traffic like streaming while I'm background downloading games and content. The data and DNS encryption are a bonus.

This forum doesn't like it though so I switch it off to visit here. Hence voting for option 1. But could be option 6.

 


Yeah - one man's anonymousisation is a bit of a webmaster's nightmare in helping to identify the genuine traffic.  I can see the benefits for you much of the time ...

 
I access in the UK and at home use Vodafone broadband (FTTC) with them providing their Secure Net filtering system. I also use an iPhone 14 when on the move which also has Secure Net when linked to them and Sophos X for mobile when not.

 
No VPNs, nothing particularly fancy. Occasionally access via public wifi or mobile hotspot, but usually from home.

 
Some really useful feedback thus far - please keep it coming.

 
My eyes glazed over when reading some of the techno-jargon in preceding posts!  I access this website only from my home PC, which has become slow with age, with no fancy (if desirable) add-ons (except an adblocker). I've never had issues with Coffee Shop performance.  I did try a free Proton VPN  but found it took a while to find an overseas location; it blocked me from a couple of websites that I do visit and was reluctant to be closed.

I use a cheapo mobile phone, mostly for texts and emails, and, being clumsy, find it difficult to use it to compose anything other than a short message.

 
Desktop PC. Chrome browser with BT Norton security.
FTTC, between 35/50mbs download.

Rarely use my Samsung mobile for this site.
The print is too small without trying to find where I left my glasses!
Yes, I know I can manually enlarge the page print, but each reply comes out at a different size!
Too much hassle, so I try not to use my mobile for the forum.

 
UK access is via home FTTP, mobile Vodafone or public WiFi
Holiday access (France, Spain Germany and similar) is via local WiFi or Vodafone roaming.

 
I voted as just accessing the Coffee Shop from the UK although I might have accessed it from Europe one or two times when I was previously abroad nearly (gulp) seven and a half years ago.  I would probably access it again from abroad if our plans for a few euro jaunts come to fruition next year.  For that reason, if you think that also qualifies for the accessing from abroad category, please feel free to add that to my vote....or advise me to change my voting accordingly.

 
I'm a bit of a mixed bag, my visits are mostly on a laptop using Chrome Browser from within the UK, however not uncommon for me to have laptop with me when I've been abroad and I will pop in for a look - this is sometimes done via VPN but not consistently so.

 

Hi, Ollie!

I think that's possibly a rather harsh self-assessment of yourself.

I do know Ollie, from the earliest days of the Coffee Shop forum, including a great 'line bash' we did, down to Falmouth, many years ago.

CfN. 

 
I access the Coffee Shop at home in the UK using an iPad and Safari, home broadband is FTTC at about 40 mbps. Abroad I use an E sim or Wi-Fi on an iPhone.

 
Thank you all - the votes and further detail are so useful (ref https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=32649.msg381276#msg381276 ).   There may not be anything visible to you as a result, but please believe me it's a huge help in tuning the response not only to the ongoing PHP stuff, but also to wider traffic management issues.

And if you have not yet voted, PLEASE, do so!